Songs and Snow
by Clownfood
Summary: Say that three unknowing SeeDs were beeing shipped out to a cold mansion by a loony proffessor to babysit a strange silverhaired youngster, would that be something that you would read? Probobly not, but give it a try. Some angst, some humor, alot of soapo
1. 01 The Sudden Need

AUTHORS NOTE: (Fanfiction-net)

Alright, first of all this is a cross-over fic between, no wait! Don't go! Oh come on! Give it a shot! I know everyone hates cross-overs but their just so much fun writing! Atleast read the first line! Awww come on! (people are clicking to another story) Dammit!

Well anyway, for those unlikely ones left, this is a cross-over between FF8 and FF7 (and some some extent ff7: AC, but just because I got the idea after seeing that first pic of Kadaj a long time ago. This fic is quite old and quite long, and still going on I might add.

I've combined the two worlds in FinalFantasy 8 and 7 and created a common world for both of them (all hippie and nice). The two worlds are now like two different "continents", who are quite unaware of what's happening in the opposite world (Example. Balamb continent is unaware of Sephiroth being on the loose and they never relayed on Mako-power. Midgar Continent on it's hand is unaware of the Sorceress and never participated in the Sorceress war).

(Quick timeline: FF8 – The hunt for the sorceress has not yet begun. FF7- Sephiroth has returned and killed the president, but he's currently missing and no meteor is heading for earth just yet)

So, have I confused you enough? Good! Then let's get on with the damn story!

* * *

0.1 THE SUDDEN NEED

"I still don't see why some big-shot professor from Junon would want to hire Balamb SeeDs. I mean, it's like crawling with soldiers an stuff over there, ya know. Why would they need us? Their troopers are better then us anyway!"

"Speak for yourself, Chickenwuss"

"Oh, yeah? I'd like se YOU beat one of those MAKO-guys. I'd love to see you try!"

"Of cause you would, you fag. You'd love to se me move, wouldn't you?"

"I'd love to se you get copped up like a fish, that's what I would love, asshole!"

"Stop it, both of you!" Squall looked up from the book he was trying to read "It's bad enough being stuck on this boat for eight hours without having to listen to you two bitching each other the entire way"

Squall looked from Zell to Seifer. They both fell silent, although it didn't last long.

"Wow, man!" Zell said with a overdone neutral expression on his face "That must have been the longest set of words I've ever heard coming from you at the same time"

"I'll keep the memory of this moment in a special place in my heart and I'll cherish it tenderly ´till the end of my days!" Seifer said with a mocking grin.

"Whatever. As long as you shut your faces" Squall looked back down in his book.

But even with the blessed absence of his companions voices, Squall was still unable to concentrate. The same things Zell spoke of were worrying him as well. He saw no reason in Junons sudden need of outside help. For the last ten years both Junon and Midgar had been like fortresses, no information going in or out. And now some scientist, whose name he were never told, appeared out of the blue and paid good money for SeeDs, on the condition that no one was know the nature of their mission, not ever the SeeDs themselves. Squall thought that he was an idiot for taking this mission, but another part of him was quite thrilled. He tried to suppress that part, though. He always did. He didn't like to become a slave under his emotions. He would be rational. He would be professional. He had to. After all, the other two soldiers were Zell and Seifer, so someone had to make a good impression. Squall smiled inside at his little private joke, and listened to his companions murmuring insults to each other.

A rasping noise came from some unidentified speaker in the ceiling.

"Attention passengers. The vessel will arrive at Junon Dock 3 in seven minutes. Please commence to the departing area. Have a pleasant day"

* * *

Yeah, that's how short the chapters are. Sorry, but I've reallytried to make its as online-short attention span-reading-friendly as possible.any thoughts/reviews on such a short chapter?


	2. 02 The City of Constructed Darkness

0.2THE CITY OF CONSTRUCTED DARKNESS

"Whooooow…"

Zell's spontaneous reaction said it all. The activity on the dock were as overwhelming as the smell of carbon dioxide and oil that oozed from every part of this mechanical city. No cars were to be seen on the streets, only military vessels and walking people. Airships covered the sky and their massive constructions created huge shadows that seemed to cover entire blocks at the time. The clatter from their engines might have been disturbing, if it hadn't been topped by the screaming from the machines in the huge industrial complex that also served as the worlds third largest military base. An enormous cannon grew out of the building and pointed towards the unexpecting Sea. The canon alone seemed to be as long as Balamb Garden were wide. All around you could see SOLIDERs walking hasty and determined to their separate goals. The civilians seemed utterly outnumbered, like spots of dirt-grey and orange in an ocean of military green. Squall was overwhelmed. He had never been further away from Balamb then Dealing City, and that was nothing compared to this.

"Damn…" Zell spoke in a low voice "Look at the water. It's black! An´ to think this used to be a fishing harbour"

"What?" Squall asked. He has a hard time believing that this polluted shadow of a human civilisation could ever had been rich on any animal or ocean life.

"Yeah, it's true!" Zell claimed "This was a beautiful, secluded fishing town, until the Shinra decided that this would be the perfect location for their second SOLDIER base. This is their first line of defence, ya know. Nothing has ever come past the Junon Cannon. Anyhow, when they built the factory an' the cannon an' all that crap, they killed all the fish, so, like, all the fishermen had to become factory workers in order to survive"

"Lovely story, Zell. Think you made me cry there for a bit" Seifer interrupted "Maybe you can tell it to us again when we have to go to bed, which in your case should be around seven, right?"

"You fucking son of a…"

"Or am I wrong? Does you mommy let you stay up as long as you want?"

Squall watched as Zell grabbed Seifers collar and pulled him down to his level.

"Don't you EVER say anything ´bout my mom, you sick wreck of a human being!" Zell growled.

"Or what?" Seifer replayed, cocky as ever, but he didn't try to break free from Zells grip. Squall knew that Zell was much stronger then Seifer, and so did he. If Zells hands hadn't been classified as lethal weapons (he would loose his job as an SeeD if he ever hit anyone other than in self defence of in battle) Squall was sure that he would have mopped the floor with Seifer several times over the years. Seifer knew all this too. Maybe that was why he always picked on the younger boy. Seifer hated to admit that someone was better then him. The only one who probably didn't know this was Zell.

"Or I'll pound your head down your stomach and watch you digest yourself!" Zell answered between his teeth.

"Imaginative, aren't we?" Seifer said with a grin "Alright, I won't talk bad about your beloved mommy dearest. Could you let go of my jacket? I'm hurting my back bending down this far"

Zell stared at Seifer face for a second then he let him go and turned away. Seifer stretched himself out and corrected his collar.

"There, much better!" he said "Hey, I can actually see above the dock railing now!"

He grinned down at Zell who pretended not to have heard that last remark.

"I must say, what a display! What a display indeed!"

The three SeeDs turned simulationsly to face a crooked man who had approached from the trios left without them noticing him. Squall recognized this brown-haired odd-looking man the instant he laid eyes on him. It was the professor, whom by videophone had requested help from Balamb. This was their employer. Squall saluted and the other two fell in line.

"Squall Leonheart, Zell Dincht and Seifer Almacy reporting, Sir!" he said.

"Oh my, oh my" the professor chucked "So well trained but yet so furious. You are all perfect. Perfect!"

He said this with such stunning happiness that it freighted Squall. Something was wrong with this man.

"Well, let get going. Yes. Let's go!" The man continued "I am Professor Simon Hojo, and from now on, you are under my command!"

* * *

I'm not really sure about Dr. Hojos first name, but I think Simon suits him somehow. 


	3. 03 White Innocence

0.3 WHITE INNOCENCE

The armoured car drove slowly through the streets of the city. There were no windows in the passengers seat, so they could not se the commotion in the streets, but they could hear it. Inside the car there was complete silence, though. None of the three SeeDs felt like speaking, since Professor Hojo was sitting opposite to them and starring at them with the weirdest smile. Squall felt a chill down his spine. What was wrong with this man?

The car trip seemed to go on for hours and slowly, the noises from the outside faded.

"We must have left the city" Squall thought.

Dr. Hojo lifted his head as if he listened to a distant sound. His smile got wider.

"We will soon be there. Patience. Soon" he mumbled.

Squall wasn't sure who the man was talking to and did therefore not respond.

Not long after that the car stopped and the side door was pushed open by a SOLDIER whose uniform covered most of his face.

"Dr. Hojo, we are here" he said in a voice that was partly muffled by the uniform collar that went all the way up to his nose.

"Yes, I have noticed" Dr. Hojo responded and turned to Seifer "Well, out you go, all three of you"

Seifer looked at the professor for a short moment and then he jumped out of the car. Zell and Squall followed, and so did Hojo. To his surprise, Squall found himself ankle deep in the whitest snow he'd ever seen. When he looked around, he saw only mountains which stretched high into the heavens. They seemed almost purple against the grey sky. The car had stopped in front of a huge mansion that was only partly lit up. Only in the east part of the building did the light shine out into the snow, the south part seemed deserted. There was no cleaned path up to the building so the three SeeDs, the professor and two SOLDIERS had to struggle trough the snow to get to the front doors. Squall thought he could see marks after older footsteps, but they were partly covered with snow now so it was hard to make out the shapes.

"How can it be so much snow here, it's October, for God sake" Seifer said in a low voice so that the professor would not hear "We can't be more then 6 miles from Junon, and their were not a single snowflake over there"

"Mako reaction" Zell responded "It does weird thing to the weather, as well as to everything else. Look how white the snow is, it's almost radiant"

"So, when we come home, our skin is gonna be all green and sticky, or what?" Seifer said.

"Don't worry" Zell replayed with a grin "In your case that might be an improvement"

"You're a joke, Zell" Seifer answered "But at least you're a good one"

"I can be the joke that cracks you up, if you want"

"Feisty"

"You bet"

"Be silent" Squall whispered as one of the SOLDIERS turned around to look at them.

When they reached the front doors, dr. Hojo pulled up a huge set of keys and unlocked the door. He pushed it open and motioned for the SeeDs to follow him. They did so, but the two SOLDIERS stayed put on each side of the doors. Squall almost jumped when the heavy doors slid closed behind him.


	4. Shadows of a Broken Past

0.4 SHADOWS OF A BROKEN PAST

The entry hall was huge and lacked furniture. The tile floor had an imaginary pattern and was sure to be pretty, if it hadn't been covered with layers of dust and dirt. There were doors in every direction and in the middle of the room a huge staircase led up to a red-draped balcony-hallway with even more doors. Dr. Hojo stood at the foot of the stairs and looked at the three SeeDs.

"I guess it's time for you to know the nature of your mission" he said and with a gesture that covered the entire hall he continued "This is your mission. To take care of this house and it's …. inhabitant, yes inhabitant, while I am gone"

"Excuse me, Sir" Seifer spoke "But we are soldiers, not house-sitters"

"Ah, that I know!" Dr. Hojo responded "And do not misjudge this task, for it is not as easy as it sounds. Well worth a soldiers skill, and well worth the small fortune I am paying you"

"But why not just hire some of the Shinra…" Zell started, but he was interrupted by Hojo.

"No questions!" he almost screamed "It says so in your contract, no questions are to be asked!"

"I apologize" Zell said.

"Very well" Dr. Hojo said and continued in a more controlled tone "So, meet this inhabitant, shall we?"

He started walking up the stairs.

"Have you guys seen that movie ´The Shining´?" Seifer whispered.

"Shut up, Seifer" Squall answered and followed Hojo up the stairs.

"He's talkative today, don't you think?" Seifer asked Zell and then he followed Squall. Zell just shrugged his shoulders as he walked by Seifer.

Dr. Hojo made a left at the top of the stairs and continued down the balcony-hallway until he reached the last door. He took out another key and unlocked the door.

"Every door in this house is locked" he explained "I will give you the keys you need before I leave"

The door slid open and they all entered.

The room was a high-ceiling bed chamber, though the huge, antique bed looked like it hadn't been used for years. Paintings of calm seas and flowerbeds covered the dusk-green walls. A big green chair with an old-fashioned look stood before the huge Italian windows with it's back turned against the door. Squall could se a pale, slender hand resting at the arm of the chair. Other then that, no part of the person in the chair could be seen, and it did not speak, nor move. Hojo went over to the chair and so did Seifer and Zell. Squall followed, though his mind told him not to.

He didn't know what he'd expected to see in that chair, perhaps a monster or a disfigured person, but the truth chocked him. It was a boy. Or a young man, slightly younger than him, and it was the most beautiful human Squall had ever laid his eyes upon. The boys hair was shimmering silver, and though it had been cut slobby an uneven by his shoulders it still seemed to frame his pale face perfectly. His face was beautiful, the way a mans face is beautiful when it resembles a female face. His skin was smooth and flawless, without hair or anything disfiguring. He had a firm nose and thick, pale lips curved themselves in a perfect bow underneath it. He was slim but seemed muscular and would probably be quite tall standing up. His eyes were blue and radiant, with sprinkles of green. But they were empty. With fear Squall realized that no soul lurked behind those huge, ocean-like eyes. Yet he could not stop staring.

"This is your top priority, the silver shadow" Hojo said with a string of the boys hair curled between his fingers "This is Sephrahim, the second angel"


	5. Alive in the dark

0.5 ALIVE IN THE DARK

The silver-haired boy didn't seem to take any notice of the three unknown men in his room, nor did he heed Dr. Hojos words as he spoke about his condition.

"Sephrahims colic, and he is of outmost importance to me" Dr. Hojo explained with a firm look on his face "Harm must not reach him, not in any way. Your job is to watch over him and his well-being"

"So, we're to baby-sit him?" Seifer said and Squall drove his elbow in his ribs and gave him a hostile look, but Dr. Hojo seemed too busy staring at the boy to hear Seifers words.

"He will not respond to speech, nor will he speak himself" the doctor continued without taking his eyes of the lovely child "He will show no understanding to what occurs in his surroundings. He will not move of free will. He does not seem to hear or see anything. He does not react to pain, cold, heat or anything at all. He will most likely not know you are here"

"So he just sits there?" Seifer started.

"Yes" Dr. Hojo replayed with a hazed gaze underneath the thick glasses.

"Not doing a thing?"

"Yes"

"Without speaking or listening?"

"Yes"

"Seemingly completely unaware of what's going on around him?"

"Yes"

"Squall, I think we've found you a soul-mate" Seifer chuckled, obviously believing himself to be very amusing.

Zell tried this best to suppress a giggle that just wouldn't stay down.

Squall kept his stone expression.

"Whatever" he said with a wave of his hand, as if to put the joke aside.

"He will respond to some commands" Dr. Hojo continued as if this little interruption had never occurred "If you pull at his arm he will stand. If you lead him, he will walk. If you push him down he will sit and eventually lay down. If you leave him standing upright without support of a while he will most likely fall to his knees or sit down. That is about the only thing he does on his own now days…"

Dr. Hojo sighted and stroked the boys hair. Squall didn't know what to make of his behaviour. What was this young man to that professor? It could not be his son… right? Dr. Hojo turned towards the door as if to leave, but Zell stopped him.

"Wait. What about food and all that?" he asked.

"Is that the only thing on your mind?" Seifer commented.

"For HIM, you moron!" Zell cursed back.

"Oh, that I did almost forget" Dr. Hojo said and straightened his glasses "If you pour water down his throat he will swallow, but that does not apply to food"

He walked over to a wooden closet that stood on the other side of the room, next to a well-stacked book-shelf. He opened the green-painted door and took out a small box. He opened it and took out a big syringe with a sharp needle and a radiant blue liquid in the container. Instinctively, all three SeeDs took a step back.

"This is all the nutrition he needs. Just give him one once a day around noon" He glanced at the three SeeDs "Does anyone of you know how to inject one of these?"

After a whiles silence Zell spoke up.

"I do, Sir" Zell said, to Squalls immediate surprise. How would Zell have learned how to inject syringes? He was clumsier that three Selphies, or at least, that's what Squall had come to think.

"Excellent!" Dr. Hojo said "It should be enough in here to last until I return. Unfortunately, I am in a hurry and must now take my leave. I am sorry for not having the time to show you around the house. Here" he gave a huge set of keys to Squall "This are the keys for the kitchen, the living room, the front doors and three bedrooms, and this room of cause. The rooms to witch you have not been given a key shall remain locked. Understood? Very well. I bid you farewell and good luck"

And with those words he rushed out the door as if someone were hunting him. Minutes later they heard the car drive of into the snow. The three SeeDs were left alone in the mansion with the sliver-haired boy.

"This… is weird" Zell concluded.

Squall fully agreed in his silence. The boy said nothing…


	6. Weeping skies and laughing heavens

AUTHORS NOTE: Thanks to everyone who leaved a review! As you might have noticed by now, this story is somewhat like a bad soap-opera. Hope you don't mind! (obviously not, since you've gotten this far…).

Anyhow, this is the chapter where things start to get kiiiiiiiind of out of hand. But don't worry, it gets much, much worse a few more chapters in. You have been warned. Hope you'll stay with me!

* * *

Even though two thirds of the mansion were locked down, it was still huge. Every room seemed lager then the other. The bedrooms were so different in size from the ones at Balamb that they almost gave Squall a case of agoraphobia.

The dining-hall were the most overgrown room Squall had ever seen. The ceiling were at least 10 meters above their heads, and from it dangled sassy lamps made in a goldish metal, Italian- style.

The room was dominated by a dining-table large enough for thirty guests and their meals. The walls were draped in a dusked-yellow tapestry and golden-lined drapes covered the tall windows. It seemed to be candelabras everywhere, on the fireplace, on the table, on shelves and in the windows. Seifer were going in a wide circle around the room, lighting the candles on the table an the fireplace.

"Their" he said "All cosy and nice"

"Someone disapproves of electrical light" Squall mumbled as he sat down at the far end of the table.

"Maybe the electricity isn't that reliable in these part of the world" Zell said, walking out of the kitchen with a steaming pot in his hands "They have an gas-oven too"

"Won't you tell us an anecdote or something about the oven?" Seifer sneered and looked up on Zell from his place to the left of Squall.

"What?" Zell harshly replayed as he put the pot down at the table.

"Well, you always seem to do that, telling us a lot of shit we don't want to hear" Seifer explained.

Their eyes met, Zells and Seifers, but to Squalls surprise Zell turned away without a replay our threats of violence.

"Be nice, or no dinner" Zell said weakly with his face turned away from Seifer. He went around the table and sat down on the opposite side of Seifer. Squall frowned at Zell. He seemed different some how, smaller. Weaker. He was not the life-full youth Squall knew from his history-class. He seemed… sad? Meanwhile, Seifer had taken the lid of the pot and fumes of spice and fish floated into the room.

"It doesn't smell so bad" Seifer commented and looked at Zell "What is it?"

"It's a kind of wok, fish, rice and vegetables fried and cooked together" Zell explained "I had to improvise a little, though. I didn't have all the ingredients"

Seifer gave Zell a weird look accompanied by a smile that wasn't all that hostile. Then he reached for Squalls plate and placed four scoops of the food at it. He repeated the procedure with Zells plate and last with his own. Zell passed a bottle of Cider around and then they started to eat during complete silence. When no words had been uttered for a troubling amount of time, Seifer broke the silence.

"Well, this isn't even half-bad" he said, turned to Zell.

"I'll take that as a compliment" Zell responded, glaring down at his food, his head resting at his elbow.

"It's good, Zell" Squall agreed in a low voice. He didn't think it proper to speak to loudly in such a silent house… and it's silent master. Somehow Squall couldn't get his mind of that beautiful silver-hair and dead eyes.

"Yeah, how did you learn to cook?" Seifer continued, not being able to give all praise "Thought your mommy did that kind of things for you"

Zells grip around his fork tightened, and he bent his head even further down over his plate.

Squall starred at the fork and half expected Zell to break it. He thought that now, now was when Seifer were gonna get it. But the outburst of rage never came.

"Seifer, please don't talk about my mother" was the only words that came over Zells lips, and they came in a controlled, low, voice.

Seifer sighted.

"Man, being stuck here with you two and that half-dead thing up there" he pointed towards the ceiling "Is gonna be a total bore since Zells obviously is turning into YOU"

He gave Squall a blaming look.

* * *

Half an hour later Zell stood with his arms covered in cold water. The dishes was neatly piled on the bench besides him and though he kept his eyes on the glass he was cleaning, his mind was far away. What was he suppose to do? What the hell was he suppose to do! God damn, he felt so useless! He'd never felt more like a failure in his life. He was weak. He was helpless. If he just could be stronger… be smarter… If he could just for once use that stupid hunk of meat in his head he might had been able to stop it. If he hadn't been so blind. If he hadn't been so reckless…

The glass shattered in his hand. He looked down as the dirty water became alive with his blood. He looked at his cut hands and the small floods of red streaming down his fingers. Somehow, he felt strangely relived. The pain in his heart wasn't that much of a torture now as the throbbing pain in his palms took it's place. But this pain was much better, much more controlled.

He had read about this. He knew where this kind of thought would lead him. But he didn't care. For once in his life he didn't give a fuck. He needed relief, and it was right there, in front of him. So close, so sweet…

Life is dangerous, you might actually die.

He laughed at the irony. He laughed at the pain. He laughed at his helplessness and his misery. It was not a pleasant laugh, more the kind you let out when you don't know what else to do. And short after that the laughter became shivering sobs. He sat down at the floor, his back pressed at the bench-side. He hid his face in his arm and he cried.

"God, mom…" he whispered "I can't even help myself"

* * *


	7. Soundless

AUTHORS NOTE

OMG I'm so sooo sorry! I was sure I updated this like ages ago but obviously, I completely forgot about it! Mestupid! Sorry! Won't happen again! (or, yeah…okay, let's be honest, it probably will…) 

Anyhow, thanks all you lovable people who left such nice reviews! This story is hardly my most ambitious work when it comes to poetic language, but I kind of intended it like an light story and … sorry, I'm rambling on. Please enjoy this shoooort chapter.

Oh, and Griver is Squalls gunblade, if anyone may have missed that... (seifers blade is named Hyperion, just a piece of useless information)

* * *

Somehow, Squall didn't seem to be able to get any real rest. He tossed and turned between the unfamiliar sheets. His sleep was restless and he was covered in sweat. He woke up every half an hour and always with some distant memory of a resent, unpleasant dream. When he for the third time sat up in his bed, his breath coming short and eyes panicky narrowing the darkness around him, he gave up and got out of bed.

"Maybe I'm sick" he thought "Maybe I've got a fever our something"

It would be just like him to get ill at a time like this. He could imagine himself lying all helpless in his bed, Zell bringing some soup and Seifer standing smirking in the doorway. Squall felt even worse by the thought alone.

"Hyne, don't let it be a fever" he though while he silently slipped out of his room. His intention was to go downstairs for some water, but halfway down- he stopped. Why he didn't know. Something just seemed… wrong… Tall pillars of pale moonlight fell from the windows and into the hall and other then that light, the house were totally dark. A kind of dusky dark… He couldn't see very good and all of a sudden he wished he'd brought Griever with him.

Had it been a sound that caught his attention? He stood perfectly still and listened. The house let out all kind of whispering screams, audible only for the narrowing ear. Cracks and whistles came from all around, sounds of old pipes and tired wood. It was like the mansion had a voice of it's own, but it was nothing out of the ordinary. Squall was just about to continue down the stairs, when the sound came again. This time he heard it loud and clear. It was like a whisper, like wind blowing through cracked material, or like a distant song. That whispering noise was followed by something that sounded too much alike smooth footsteps on a thick carpet. Then came the silence again.

Squall was just one scare from running to get Seifer, cause now he realized from what room the noise came. With his heart in his throat he went back up the stairs and sneaked up to the green door thatled into Sephrahims chamber. Squall pushed againstthe door. It was locked.He let out a silent curse and went back to his room, as quick and silent as he could, and got the set of keys. On his way out he grabbed Griever, that rested on his made bed. In the doorway he suddenly stopped. He hadn't made the bed!

He turned around, but there it was in perfect condition, sheets and covers showing to sign of his restless dreams. Then he realizedthat he handn'tunpackedGriever either. Griever should be in its' case under the bed. With disbelief he looked down at the blade in his hand, but there was no doubt, it was indeed Griever. Squall felt his eyes widening.

"What the hell is this?" he whispered "Am I dreaming?"

The sound came again, longer this time, and even louder. Squall wasted no more time. What ever was going on, he was sure he'd find the answer in that room.

* * *

MORE OF THE AUTHORS RAMBLING NOTES

Yeah, me again, sorry. I just wanted to point out that this is the last chapter before this story gets completely out of control. I mean it. Not even I had any clue what was going on when I wrote it. And in this next chapter, it gets a little guy-on-guy(ish). But I've been thinking about taking that part out… so tell me what you think of that, okay? Thanks!

* * *


	8. Radiant Dreams

AUTHORS NOTES

Eh, I have unlisted phone-number, so don't go off and try to find it after this chapter. I took the advise and did not change the ending of this chapter, which is why the raking now is T (yay! T!). Yeah, you guessed it. Shounen ai. If I had ANY male readers, they are so GONE after this chapter. And…. Now the story gets weirder. Yeah. W-e-i-r-d-e-r.

As usual, please tell me what you think, but don't throw rocks at me. They hurt. This chapter is also kind of long, to make up for that super-short chapter 7. sorry 'bout that.

* * *

Squall had given up on trying to approach the door without making a sound. The floor underneath him squeaked and complained at his weight, louder for each step he took. When he got back out into the hallway, making his way towards the green door, he noticed that something was different. The light had changed. Instead of the pale greyish white light from the moon, streaks of lights in pure sliver now traced their way across the hallway and the stairs. Squall had no idea where the lights came from, it seemed to spring out of the darkness itself, like small stars floating around the room. Then he saw the fog. A thick, silver shimmering cloud was hovering inches over the red carpet. It felt a little could around Squalls feet and blurred up behind him as he walked, determined not to stop. Somehow, he didn't seem to care too much about the strange change in the environment around him. All he cared about was reaching that door. The walk from Squalls room to Sephrahims seemed endless. When he at last reached the door, he stopped to listen. He hadn't heard the whispering noise for quite a while now. He waited. And, there, he could hear it! Footsteps! Footsteps behind the door!

He fumbled with the keys in his hand but before he could find the right one, the door slid open, just an inch.

"What the fuck is this?" Squall said as he was hypnotized by that crack at the door. He swallowed, then he but his hand against the green wood (didn't it feel a little fuzzy?) and pushed the door open.

The windows in the room were closed, but yet a wind blew in there, catching the bed-drapes and curtains, forcing them into an unnatural dance. Only a thin layer of silver fog floated around the room, and it was very cold. Squall became uncomfortably aware of the thin linen of his pyjamas pants, the only clothing he was wearing. Sephrahim was not resting in the bed were Squall and Seifer had put him hours ago. He was back in his chair again, Squall could se his pale hand resting on the arm of the chair. The thing was, that another hand was clutched gently around Sephrahims. An unfamiliar, black-draped hand. A male shadow were standing on it's knees by the chair. Long, silver-white hair fell down his back, which he had turned to Squall. A black cloak had nestled itself around the unknown mans feet. The fog seemed to rotate around the chair and the man beside it.

Squall had no idea what to do. He just stood there, like as if his feet had been nailed to the floor, staring at the scene before him. Slowly, the mans head turned, the silver hair following the smooth movement as the man looked over his shoulder at Squall. Radiant green eyes narrowed at the young solider and then the man unfolded his legs and rose to his feet in one, slow movement. He was unbelievably tall, and stunningly beautiful, with a face more perfect then all the stars and suns of the universe. The silver slights from the windows behind him highlighted his body and made his hair glow as brilliant as his eyes.

"Hyne" Squall thought, his mind dusky "This must be what angels look like"

With ironic amuse, the mans lips curved, just a little.

"Make no mistake, child" the man spoke, but Squall couldn't see his lips moving "I am no angel, though many has thought me to be so"

"Sephrahim?" Squall felt the weakness of his own voice but he could do nothing about it.

"Close, but no" the replay came loud and clear but yet without any lip-movements "We are the same, but I do not answer to that name"

A reflex of light from the window blinded Squall for a second. When he traced the room to se from where the reflex came, his breath stuck in his throat when he discovered the source. The tall man held a sword in his right hand, a slim katana-blade, but it was the longest sword Squall had seen in his whole life. It must be over 8 foot long! Squall tightened his grip around Grievers hilt, trying to measure the distance between himself and the silver-haired man. Would he have time to shoot before that sword reached him?

"Do not be afraid" the man spoke "If I had wished for your blood, I would already have spilt it. But no, we wish for the same thing, you and I"

For some unknown reason, that Squall himself could not discover, he stepped further into the room, allowing the door to slide shut behind him. He was drawn to this man, like a moth to a flame.

"What would that be?" he asked, his voice dusked by emotions he did not know "What do we wish for?"

"For this boy to live" the man gestured towards Sephrahim who sat in his chair, starring out into the nothingness of his reality.

"But he's in a coma… or something" Squall said, looking at Sephrahim, or the part of him he could se from were he was standing.

" It was meant to be for his own security " the man spoke with a loving gaze at Sephrahim, as one of his gloved hand stroked his hair " But now … It should not have gone this far. That wretched excuse for a human is doing something to him… and what I do not know. I came here to find and perhaps kill him, but instead I found … you "

His eyes turned back to Squall, who felt a sudden chill down his spine as his eyes met with those radiant pools. He stumbled backwards, hitting a bookshelf behind him. A book fell down. Squall looked down at it. It was "The old man and the sea". Then he looked back up at the man, who was now approaching Squall very slowly.

"Somehow … " the man spoke "I must get him back. And you wish for that too, do you not?"

Silently Squall nodded. In the back of his head a desperate voice screamed at him to move, to run, to raise Griever, but Squall didn't quite understand the meaning of the words. When there was only inches between their two bodies, the man stopped, his eyes still locked in Squalls.

"You will help me, will you not?" and now his lips moved as he spoke "Will you not … Squall?"

"Yes" the word came in a silent breath, barley audible to Squall himself.

"Good"

The man gave a shadow of a smile, then he bent so that he and Squall were face to face. With his eyes still locked in Squalls he leaned in closer and pushed his lips against Squalls. They were cold and hard, and a shill rocked Squalls entire body. As the mans tongue slid past Squalls lips, be felt a sparking heat inside his mouth, then a green lightning flashed inside of his mind, and blinded him. Then all faded into black.


End file.
